The High Street

load previous
May 13, 2024 7:43 pm
Adran, after retrieving the key, will immediately look for food with which he can feed Jeffery -- insects, worms, larvae, something. Adran will also change out the water for fresh, clean water. There is no need for poor Jeffery to suffer.

Once the newt is provided for, Adran turns his attention to the issue at hand. "Alright. I have a winding key for a clockwork-style device. Let's round them up. We should also look for any devices that are part of the apartment itself." The elf will busy himself testing the key against whatever devices are found.
May 13, 2024 10:28 pm
Morik's mood, already sour from an entire day of nothing but one city mess after another, finally perked up at the sight of Jeffery. He walked over and offered a Goodberry to the little creature, stroking the back of its head to comfort it.

As the creature is eating, Morik finds a spot to sit down and close his eyes. It was difficult to speak to the earth mother from such an urban location and height, but the light breeze carried his words to the leaves and the trees and down the roots and spoke back to him.
OOC:
Casting Goodberry, and then Speak with Animals as a Ritual. Morik will try to use simple language and gestures and emotion to ask the creature what it can tell him about what happened, and also where the key belongs (other than in the terrarium).
[ +- ] 1. Goodberry
[ +- ] 1. Speak with Animals (R)
May 13, 2024 11:10 pm
Upon finding the scene facing the group, Eozindra stands in the doorway, glancing back over her shoulder to see if there are eyes on the building. She chews her lip nervously a moment as she considers whether they are being trailed.
OOC:
If the coast seems clear, she will shut the door and latch it behind her, though stay pressed up against it to listen.

Also, sorry about radio silence. Bit of a backslide last week in this unemployment transition.

Rolls

Perception - (1d20+4)

(12) + 4 = 16

May 14, 2024 4:22 am
Keeping an eye on her sister standing at the door, the half-elf looks about the room for a possible item the key could fit. Simultaneously, Elysia also keeps an eye out for any fine or luxurious items inside the flat that she might enjoy "meaning closer in a private location."
OOC:
Perception for both (if I need two separate rolls, let me know). Also a slight of hand roll if there are any items that her decadent desires would like to secretly steal. Both rolls have the Expertise bonus.

We all have hard times Red, I’m just glad you’re back <3

Rolls

Perception - (1d20+5)

(12) + 5 = 17

Sleight Of Hand - (1d20+8)

(12) + 8 = 20

May 14, 2024 8:49 am
I think we should check the rest of the house and tower before staring to activate stuff.
I know you love tinkering with mechanics dear brother, but there could be someone else needing help

Elowin leaves to investigate the rest of house. When she is done, she ritualises a detect magic to check everything again.
May 15, 2024 7:02 pm
Ishi is noi confident with books, and knows little about high tech things like keys and clockwork so he investigates the wooden furniture

Rolls

investigates wood - (1d20+2)

(15) + 2 = 17

May 16, 2024 7:22 am
Ishi sees that the furniture is well-made, from a variety of hardwoods, often decorated with inlays of other woods of contrasting colors. Tykus had good but expensive taste; this kind of craft takes a lot longer to fashion than a simple, serviceable bookshelf, table, or chairs would.
Elowin slips out of the door to descend the stairs and give the apartment downstairs (or at least its front door) an inspection. There's no sign of any further destruction anywhere else, and it's unlikely that anyone heard or saw anything untoward, if her hypothesis that the burglars just left out the front door is right. Eozindra watches the stairs warily, and is relieved when the person coming up is just Elowin returning from her inspection. As soon as the cleric is through the door, Eozindra closes it behind them and leans against it protectively.
Adran changes Jeffery's water, taking a mug from the floor, dipping it in the muddy pond in the tank, and then crossing the room to dump the dirty water out the window. Then he adds some water from his supply, and Jeffery immediately moves forward to lap at the water. But Adran is at a loss to come up with something that Jeffery would eat until Morik taps him on the shoulder and holds up one of his magic berries. Adran nods, claps a grateful hand on the dwarf's shoulder and moves over to Elysia, who seems to have found something on the floor.
Morik holds out the goodberry and Jeffery is hesitant at first, but then flits forward into Morik's hand in the blink of an eye. While Jeffery is munching happily on the magic fruit, Morik continues his magic ritual to grant him the ability to speak with all beasts.
What Elysia found is a small brass frog with a keyhole in its back. Adran tests by carefully wiping off the key and then inserting it into the frog; it fits perfectly. He shares an anticipatory look with Elysia, and then he turns the key.
A voice issues from the frog, so suddenly that Adran nearly drops the little brass device. "Dearest 'F,' I fear my communications have been intercepted. I dare not stay here. I have the map with me. I will seek you out, as soon as I can."

Findal nods, and confirms (perhaps unnecessarily): "Yes, that was Tykus' voice. We should probably get back to my Inn. It's where I usually stay, and probably the first place Tykus would look to meet me."
OOC:
I'm going to say that Morik's 10-minute ritual will be completed while you're here, but you can bring Jeffery with you to carry out the resulting conversation, if the party wishes to leave sooner rather than later.
May 16, 2024 2:05 pm
"Sounds good. One small issue before we go... what of Jeffery? Even if the fresh water lasts a while, we will need a source of food sooner rather than later," Adran points out. "I also feel that this place is probably being watched, so returning here daily to feed him may not be best. Thoughts? Er... about the feeding I mean. I already assume we will be followed when we leave."

Adran will slip the mechanical frog in a pouch, not wanting to leave anything further behind.
May 16, 2024 9:35 pm
"I would assume Tykus would love his pet back, but seeing as how he was left to fend for himself, I reckon I wouldn’t mind caring for the lil’ one. The man had time to leave a magical message, but couldn’t take two seconds to bring a lil’ friend along." Morik shook his head disapprovingly.

"Not a good first impression!" Morik huffed and glared at Findal, as if it was all his doing.
Last edited May 16, 2024 9:36 pm
May 17, 2024 2:13 am
With a silent nod of satisfaction that the little critter won’t be left here to his possible death, she makes one more silent pass around the room, double checking there’s no valuables she might want before ushering Eozindra and herself out the door. "Come along Zus, there’s no need to guard the door any longer."
Last edited May 17, 2024 2:19 am
May 17, 2024 5:01 am
Findal nods at the dwarf. "Yes, we'll have to ask him about that. To think: leaving one's animal companion! Tsk!"

Having finished eating, Jeffery scampers up Morik's arm and onto his shoulder and does a few jaunty pushups, his head bobbing up and down. Morik finishes his ritual and is suddenly able to converse with the lizard. They begin their discussion.

Not finding anything else of greater interest, Elysia pockets a few of the smaller clockwork contraptions. Even if Tykus doesn't offer a reward for their return, even if no one else is interested in buying them, Elysia figures that Adran might be interested at some point.

Jeffery

spaceseeker19

May 17, 2024 6:14 am
Jeffery
Morik asks Jeffery "What happened?"

Jeffery responds: "Jeffery was lonely, and got really hungry: Jeffery got weak. Then Bear Man came, and gave Jeffery food: Jeffery got strong again. Yes, Jeffery likes Bear Man! Does Bear Man have more food?"

Morik: "Yes, but what about Tykus?"

"This is gooood food! What is this? What does Bear Man call it? So gooood! Tykus has been gone for a looooooong time. It has been more than one sunny day since Jeffery saw Tykus." (Jeffery doesn't actually call Tykus 'Tykus,' but rather something like 'Scroll Man,' reinforcing Morik's impression that the lizard thinks of people by their smells. Handling so many books and scrolls, Tykus would undoubtedly smell like papers and ink.)

"How did this place - your home - get like this? With everything thrown around?"

"Jeffery's home is tidy (except for water - water was bad, until Machine Man came and changed the water." Jeffery's tongue flicks toward Adran. "Scroll Man's home is the mess. After Scroll Man left - but same sunny day - Spider Men smashed through the window, climbed in, and started throwing Scroll Man's things around. Jeffery hoped that Spider Men would give food, but when Nasty Thing came close to Jeffery's home, Jeffery hid. Jeffery is good at hiding! Jeffery likes to hide! Jeffery also likes Bear Man! Bear Man gives food and is warm! Jeffery does not like Nasty Things!"

"Nasty Things? What are those?"

"Nasty Things cannot be seen, and smell like dead things. Jeffery is scared of Nasty Things. Jeffery thinks Nasty Things have no food, maybe want to eat Jeffery!"

The lizard scrambles across Morik's back onto his other shoulder. "Jeffery likes the view from up here." He does a few more pushups. "Are there any lizards near here that Jeffery can impress?" Jeffery does some more pushups.
May 17, 2024 6:22 am
Ishi and Elowin scan the street from the broken window, and Eozindra listens carefully before opening the door to check: the street seems to be clear still. "Shall we go now?" Findal asks, "Or are there any questions that Morik should ask Jeffery while the druid's spell is active?"
May 17, 2024 12:44 pm
Spidermen? Is he talking about the drow and undead?
She turns to the gnome. Yes Findal, I think we should get you to safety. Then we will visit the duke to deliver the box, and perhaps place an offhanded question about the drow in the city.
May 17, 2024 7:38 pm
Elysia stops at the mention of spider men. As much as it brings forth an image for some reason of a tiny human teenager flipping through the air in her mind, something feels familiar about it. It isn’t until her friend questions about the drow that it clicks.

Walking back towards the lizard, she holds out her new ring with a spider on her finger. "Did the spider men have things that looked like this?"
May 17, 2024 9:25 pm
Morik nodded at Elowin. He too immediately thought of the drow at the mention of spidermen, and perhaps the Nasty Things were their undead servants. Hard to really know what Jeffery meant with his limited intelligence.

At Elysia's question, Morik translated and asked Jeffery the question using simple concepts and emotions to articulate as best he could.
OOC:
We could be doing all this during our walk, if you all wanna get out asap.
Last edited May 17, 2024 9:26 pm
May 17, 2024 11:43 pm
Eozindra falls in step with her sister, contemplating the situation at hand. Like a puzzle, she ponders the labels being given as stand-ins for names as Morik relay’s the lizard’s tale. Bear Man and Scroll Man are easy and give her an idea of how the identification system works for the reptile. She wracks her brain for what kind of individual would be seen as a "Spider Men" before moving on to consider the connection to the "Nasty Thing."
OOC:
I love Jeffery.

Can I roll something to see if Zin can solve this little cryptogram? Maybe she’s studied something that will ring a bell and make sense of the vague terminology.
May 18, 2024 7:16 am
Ishi was tempted to say "I told you so" but nobody ever believed him anyway so he just said "huh"

Jeffery

spaceseeker19

May 18, 2024 4:06 pm
Jeffery
When asked whether the Spider-men had rings like Elysia's spider ring, Jeffery considers it for a long time. "Yes, they wore metal on their claws, but no, the metal did not look like a spider or any other tasty thing."
OOC:
Morik knows that Jeffery ate (and enjoyed!) the goodberry not because it was a fruit, but because it's magical sustenance. Jeffery is naturally a carnivore.
May 18, 2024 9:51 pm
The party proceeds from Tykus' trashed apartment onward to the Lucky Copper Inn, which Elysia and Eozindra have seen and are fairly quick to find. As the rain worsens, the streets begin to empty of others. Jeffery rides happily on Morik's shoulder, enjoying the moisture and open air.

On the way, the party runs into another traveler: a merchant riding on the back of a bedraggled boar who has lost his way. "Pardon me, pardon me!" he calls out, "Would you be so kind as to point me in the direction of the Market Square? We just arrived in town and Muffin and I got lost."
load next

Thread locked